This year’s Smith Medalists talk about their professions, their thoughts on the future and how Smith led them to where they are today. Watch interviews with contemporary artist Susan Hiller ’61, biotechnology entrepreneur Susan May Molineaux ’75, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Amy Ellis Nutt ’77 and the first U.S. special representative to Muslim communities, Farah Pandith ’90.

Lagarde Named Commencement Speaker

Christine Lagarde, the first woman to serve as managing director of the International Monetary Fund, will be the speaker at Smith’s 136th Commencement ceremony on May 18. In addition, honorary degrees will be awarded to international activist Ela Bhatt, children’s author Eric Carle, former U.S. ambassador to Austria Swanee Hunt, scientific historian Evelyn Fox Keller and former Smith president Ruth Simmons.

Women in Public Service Institute

Radhika Coomaraswamy, a former top United Nations official, will be a keynote speaker at the May 26 opening ceremony of the Women in Public Service Project Institute, a two-week program co-hosted by Smith, Mount Holyoke and Simmons colleges that will bring together 50 emerging women leaders who are working to rebuild their communities following political violence and human rights violations.

New in Insight: Cuba has a vibrant dance culture, and, surprisingly, this includes ballet. The island nation is recognized internationally as an important center for training in and appreciation of ballet, despite its conventions dating back to the imperial courts. Assistant Professor of Dance Lester Tomé has been researching Cuba as a case study for what he sees as the globalization of ballet.

Bechtel Named Living Building

Smith College’s Bechtel Environmental Classroom has achieved top honors for environmental sustainability, becoming only the fifth building in the world to be certified as a Living Building by the International Future Institute. Completed in 2012, the Bechtel Environmental Classroom is located at the MacLeish Field Station, comprising 240 acres of land in nearby Whately, MA.

The Smith College Ring

What better way to show your Smith pride than by sporting the Smith College ring? Featuring a simple, elegant design, the ring is embossed with an image of the Grécourt Gates and the words "Smith College, 1871." Wear the ring as a symbol of your treasured days as a student and the legacy of Smith in your life as an alumna. Click here for more information and to order.

In the latest Scholars in Studio video, Adam Hall, professor of biological sciences, explains his research into the therapeutic potential of novel anesthetic drugs that may prove to be effective with fewer dangerous side effects.